Nut-huller.



G. W. PHILLIPS.

NUT HULLBR. APPLIoATIoN rILnn'Nov. 21, 1907.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 1.

Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

4W/hw" ly www Mocm7f- @w n G, PHILLIPS.

v NUT HULLEE. APPLIOATION HLE'D Nov. 21,1907. f

916,008. Patented Mar.23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. W. PHILLIPS. NUT EULLEB..

APPLIOATIoN FILED Nov. 21., 1907.

fuwmuumummm Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

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represent 'the relative speeds of the two series of hulling chainsandcan be changed t suit conditions or circumstances.

`Where the hulling devices run in'jpro x. l imity, lwhich 'is d uringtheir eiectiveoper'areven a nut of unusual size.` OneA pair of theseplates is adjustably secured to the standards 2 and 3 by means of thumbnuts 22 and slots 23 and the other pair is secured to or formed upon-aframe which is loosely vmounted between the standards. The framepreferably'comprises two side pieces 24 and a cross piece 25, the endsof the frame being perforated for the reception of the shafts 5 and7'respectively and the ends of theshaft 5 project through slots 26 inthe standards so that the upper end o'f said frame maybe moved towardand from the shaft 4. This movement of the frame will cause the hullingdevices carried thereby to be adjusted relatively to the other hullingdevices, which'adl justment between the two sets ,of devices can be alsovaried by means of'the backing lates 21. upon the standards 2 and 3. Therame' isA yieldingly held in osition by havingthe boxing of the shaft 5eld against adjustable stops 27 by two springs .28, the tension of whichsprings can be varied by means of ad-` justing nuts 29.

-Mounted on top of the standards, preferably removable, by means of legs30, isa hop er 31, through which the nuts are fed to t e upper endsofthe hulling devices. From there they pass down between the two seriesof blades and. are subjected to the cutting and 'drawing action causedby the blades moving in opposite directions and at different rates ofspeed.' By having the alternate-blades shorter than' the others, pocketsor troughs are formed in the faces of the hulling devices into whichthenuts are"force d by the longer of vthe opposing series and held whilethe'h'ull is torn or removed by the joint action of Athe two series ofblades. The holdin(r and tearing process is materially assisted b thesharpened 4edges of the shorter b ades which readily' enter the hullwhen it is soft Aand ,where it ishard it cuts or cracks it without thedanger of crushing the nut, and especially vwhere the shell of the nutis thin or soft.

-By running the chains on one side faster 'than on the other thepositions of the longer blades relatively to the opposing pockets areconstantly shifting or changing whereby the nuts are given more or lessof a rotary niotion which is constantly presenting the nut osition, andy they can' yield' bodily to-any unusual internal pressure,- s'uch as astone or other hard substance or- -on the end ofv the until the hullcompletely removed. By holding the hulling devices yieldingly at theirupper ends they will automatically "separateand the unhulled nuts can beintroduced and acted' upon without danger of breaking any of the partsand the chains are made long enough to permit' the blades to lact uponthe nuts until thehull is entirely removed. 1

After thenuts pass through the hulling portion of the' machine'they arepreferably delivered to thecleaningportion which consists of a series ofockets or trou hs formed u on the chains 10 y longitudinally recessedbocks 32.. The 'shaft'iZO and sprockets 8 upon-which the upper portionof the chains 10- and blocks 32 are sup orted is located directly below'the space etween the two hulling beltsv so that as the chains pass overthe pulleys the blocks are separated and the pockets are opened fortherece tion of'the nuts as vthey fall .from vthe .hul ing devices but asthe chains pass-into the straight portionj'of their travelv the pocketsgradually.

'close and thereby hold the nuts until the pockets are opened by thechains passing. over thesprockets on the shaft 33 at the bottom of thestandards 2 and 3. From 34 through aspout 35. l

Surrounding the shaft 2 0 is -a tube or pipe 36 which is perforated asat 37 and connected with a blower whose casing is shown at 3S,

by-al conduit 39. The perforations are pre1'- erably arranged in threelongitudinal series,

4one directly on top which is adapted to project a current of air upbetween the hulling ldevices and the other two are arranged to rojectblasts of air laterally. The top perorations are preferably smaller thanthe others so that-the upper blast is of less force' than the others andonlysuflicient to deflect the lighter particles to one side or the otherwithout danger of blowing out the lighter nuts. But by the time thechains have carried the nuts into the current of air from the largeropenings they have become so iirmly seated 1n the pockets that they arenot blown therefrom. vAs the hulls and refuseV portions are' blown oitby these blasts they there the nuts pass into a suitable receptacle arepreferably deposited in troughs or chutes 40 at the sides of thestandards 2 and 3 and from there delivered at the end of the machine.The' blower is preferably operated by a band 41 which Aasses over apulley 42 ower shaftv 33- and a smaller -pulley 43 on the end of theblower shaft. Y

Although I have described my invention as applicable' to almonds it isevident that other nuts4 of the same general character can be quicklyhnlled and thoroughly cleaned by the continuous process of passing themdown through the machine, the power 65 in a new position to the actionof the blades n being supplied by lthe crank in thel smaller l formoving said blades in opposite directionsl5v posite directions and at.dierent rates of' machines andby mechanical means in'the larger ones. j

Ib do not fish to confiney inys'ell` to the exact constructions andarrangements herein described andifshown in the drawings, as I ldesireto availl myself of such modiications and equivalen-ts as fallproperly within` tl' ie spirit oliny invention.

l1. iaesut-hu11'er,nie cjmbintin Orme opposing surfaces, eachprovidedwith 'trans'd vers'ely arrangedblades, the alternate blades beingshorter than the others and provided each with a knife-edge, and meansfoi-moving the adjacent portions of said surfaces in op` speed.

' .2. Ina nut-huller, two opposing relatively movable memberseach'including a series of flexibly connected blocks, blades on saidblocks -havingtheir edges projecting beyond the fronts thereof,-one ofthe blades being sharpened and .the other projecting beyond saidsharpened blade, 'means for varyingthe distance etween said members,andfmeans and'at different ratesof speed. l

` 3. In a nut-huller, the combination'of a support, two opposingllexible members movably mounted therein and provided with projectingblades, means for adjusting said members relatively to each other,relatively adjustable backing-plates for the opposing portions 'of said.members, and meansifor moving the members opposite directions.

, 4. In a nut-huller, the combination of vertically arranged hullingmechanism, a pipe `below the same provided with series of vertically andlaterally arranged perforations, the vertical perforations being smallerthan the others, a blower connected with said pipe, and a-conveyer forthe cleaned nuts.

4 `I n'a nut-hulle1`g the combination of vertically arranged hullingmechanism, an end- .less conveyer below the same provided lwithlongitudinallyl recessed bars forming pockets,

means for moving the bars to open and close.

. the pockets, and means for passing currents cally arranged conveyerlocated below the hulling mechanism, a blower located near the upper endof the conveyer, and a system of gearing connecting the lower vshafts oithe hulling mechanism with the conveyer and blower.

In testimony whereof I affixed my signature, inpresence'oftwo witnesses,this 23rd day of September 1907'.

GEORGE w. PHILLIPS.

-. Witnesses:

'THoMAs D.DENY. E. L. WEBBERL'

